Mengding Mountain Tea

Mengding Mountain Tea

Mengding Mountain Tea is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Geographic Scope

　　　Mingshan County’s Mengding Mountain Town and 19 other townships in Sichuan Province, as well as Bifengxia Town and Longxi Township in Yucheng District of Ya’an, located within the Mengshan area.

　　Specific Quality

　　　　The raw material is sourced from the “hometown of immortal tea” — the Mengding Mountain area in Mingshan County, Ya’an, Sichuan — specifically early spring single buds harvested before the Spring Equinox. The tea-growing region is characterized by abundant rain, fog, and clouds. Thanks to this unique natural environment, the tea trees grow vigorously, producing tender and resilient buds. These are then meticulously processed using traditional manual techniques, resulting in the distinctive quality of this premium Mengding Yellow Sprout tea. The tea buds are uniformly shaped, flat and straight, with a yellowish luster and fully exposed fine hairs. The infusion is bright yellow and clear, with a sweet, fresh aroma and a mellow, refreshing taste. The leaf base consists of whole tender yellow buds.

　　Cultural Background

　　　　According to the Book of Documents, “Cai Meng Lv Ping refers to Mengshan, located in Yazhou — all Sichuan tea originates here.” Tea cultivation on Mengding Mountain dates back to the Ganlu era (53 BC) of the Western Han Dynasty, when a local man named Wu Lizhen personally planted seven “divine tea seeds” among the Five Peaks. These plants were no taller than a foot, yet they neither withered nor died, and were unlike any ordinary plants. This is the earliest written record of tea cultivation by humans in China. Mengding tea, revered as “immortal tea,” has gained international fame and a celebrated place in history for its unique quality, exquisite craftsmanship, elegant appearance, long history, and rich tea culture. The Chronicles of Yunnan states: “Tea is produced in Mingshan, especially on Mengshan, which stretches for dozens of miles to the southwest of the county. An ancient poem reads: ‘The peaks of Mengshan are lush and fair, where no weeds but fine teas grow.’ This tradition dates back over two thousand years. Today, sites such as Huangcha Garden (the remnant tea plantation of Wu Lizhen), the ancient Meng Spring used to irrigate the tea, the Ganlu Stone Chamber where he rested, and the statue of the tea-picking fairy — daughter of the river god — attract many visitors for sightseeing and tribute. As the birthplace of world tea culture, Mengding Mountain tea spread across the world along the Northern and Southern Silk Roads. “The tea of Mingshan is best on Meng, and that of Meng is the finest of all.” The reason Mengding tea is uniquely treasured lies not only in its exceptional quality and favorable natural conditions, but also in its exceptionally refined processing techniques. “Mengshan produces tea nourished by full sunlight, its fragrance widely praised across the land.” As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, teas such as “Thunder Tea,” “Auspicious Stamen,” and “Sacred Blossom” had already emerged. “Mengding tea is sweet and clear, yellowish-green in color. In the cup, its fragrant clouds linger long without dispersing.” The Tang Dynasty marked the golden age of Mengding tea development. In the first year of the Tianbao era (742 AD), it was presented as tribute to the imperial court, thus gaining fame throughout the land. At that time, loose teas offered to Chang’an included Lei Ming, Wu Zhong, Que She, Niao Zui, and Bai Hao, while compressed teas included Dragon Cake and Phoenix Cake. By the reign of Emperor Xianzong, Mengding tea had become the most frequently tributed variety. The Yuanhe County Annals recorded: “Mengshan is ten li west of the county, now annually tributing tea — the finest in Shu.” After Mengding tea gained nationwide renown through imperial tribute, high-ranking officials and nobles competed to purchase it at great cost, driving its value and prestige to extraordinary heights. “Sichuan tea is named after Mengding; before the Yuanhe era, not even a pound of early spring Meng tea could be exchanged for bolts of silk.” This greatly motivated tea farmers in Mingshan. “Thus, people of Mengshan, past and present, competed in planting tea to seek substantial profit. Within a few decades, the Shi’an Grass Market alone produced tens of thousands of pounds annually.” It was truly an unprecedented boom. During the Tang Dynasty, economic and cultural exchanges between China and Japan flourished. Between 630 and 894 AD, Japan sent numerous missions of envoys to China to study politics, economy, language, Buddhist culture, production techniques, and architecture, totaling 13 missions with hundreds of participants each, including ambassadors, vice-ambassadors, students, monks, and attendants. In the fifth year of the Kaicheng era (840 AD), the studying monk Ennin (also known as Jikaku Daishi) returned to Japan upon completing his studies in Chang’an. Among the gifts bestowed by Emperor Wenzong (Li Ang) was “two jin of Mengding tea and a string of compressed tea.” By then, Mengding tea not only enjoyed high prestige domestically, but had also been sent abroad as a national gift tea. If the Tang Dynasty ushered in the golden age of Mengding tea, then the Song Dynasty represented its zenith, alongside the flourishing of Mingshan border tea. The quality of Mengding tea significantly improved, tea-making skills became more refined, and tribute teas such as Wanchun Silver Leaf and Yuye Evergreen were created. At that time, Sichuan led the nation in tea production, and Mingshan led Sichuan. From the early Yuanyou era of Emperor Shenzong (around 1078 AD), for nearly a century, Mingshan’s annual tea yield often reached about one million kilograms. Mingshan tea became the preferred “border tea” of ethnic minorities in the southwest and northwest regions of China, specially decreed as “exclusively used for tea-for-horse trade with Ya’an Mingshan tea, and for no other purpose,” and “established as a permanent law.” Mingshan tea became the designated commodity for tea-horse trade between successive dynasties and Tibetan, Uyghur, and other ethnic groups, serving as a vital bond for political, economic, and cultural exchange between the Han people and these ethnicities. Since the Tang Dynasty, Mengding tea was tribute to the capital year after year for over a thousand years, until the reforms of the Republican era. After the liberation, Mengding’s famous teas were rightfully restored and developed. Mengshan Tea Farm utilized modern tea-making techniques to revive the production of famous teas such as Shihua, Yellow Sprout, Sweet Dew, Wanchun Silver Leaf, and Yuye Evergreen, based on the characteristics of ancient tribute teas. In the 1980s, new varieties such as Chunlu and Chunmei were also created. Mengding’s famous teas have been repeatedly awarded national, provincial, and ministerial quality recognition, with the first three types being designated as national gift teas. Over the past decade, Mengding’s famous teas have seen unprecedented development, with increased yield and improved quality. They are beloved not only by domestic consumers but have also entered the international market, winning the favor of people in the United States, Japan, Thailand, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, and other countries. Hong Kong’s Wen Wei Po once featured an article titled “Once the Emperor’s Tea, Now in Every Home,” reporting that Mengding tea is “truly worthy of its reputation as a top-tier tea.”